A 38-year-old man with OCD undergoes a psychotherapy in which he is repeatedly exposed to a contamination stimulus (touching door knobs) without being permitted to wash his hands. Over 20 sessions, his compulsion urge diminishes markedly. This technique is best described as:
- A Systematic desensitisation
- B Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) ✓
- C Cognitive restructuring
- D Flooding
Correct answer: B. Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP)
Explanation
Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) is the gold-standard behavioural intervention for OCD. The patient is exposed to feared stimuli (contamination) while being prevented from performing the compulsive ritual (handwashing), allowing the anxiety to peak and then naturally extinguish (habituation). Unlike flooding, ERP proceeds hierarchically on a graduated exposure hierarchy. Systematic desensitisation pairs exposure with relaxation and is used for simple phobias, not OCD.
Reference: Kaplan & Sadock's Synopsis of Psychiatry, 11th ed.
High-yield for: NEET PGINI-CETNExTFMGEUSMLEPLABMRCP
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